Howling to the Moon
by WackyGoofball
Summary: Josh gets sick. Aidan and Sally are more than concerned about the werewolf, especially since his condition worsens the closer the full moon comes. Josh tries to brush it off, but maybe he should listen to his friends? Read to find out ;) Lots of hurt!Josh& sick!Josh coupled with Aidan/ Josh moments, and of course Sally is adorable as ever. Enjoy ;)
1. A Movie Night

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Welcome back to my world of madness – and my third Being Human fanfiction that crept its way out of the murky waters of my mind.

Once again, I love two things about the show – hurt!Josh and Josh/ Aidan moments, which is why it is here again the theme of choice.

This is set early on in season 1, but it has no greater implications for future episodes or whatever, so it stands alone.

I am no native speaker and this story is unbeta'd. That means all mistakes are mine, but I hope you forgive me some of them because it is not my native language. It's my way of training ;)

I don't know yet if I want to make this slash – for that I don't have enough written yet. Let me know what you'd like better^^ Plus, any other suggestions about how this may continue are also welcome. As I said, I didn't write everything yet, I just started, so some other input is always nice to maybe push the plot.

As always, reviews are welcome and ever so appreciated.

Read, review, and hopefully enjoy ;)

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><p><span>Disclaimer<span>: I own nothing.

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><p><span>Summary<span>: Josh gets sick. Aidan and Sally are more than concerned about the werewolf, especially since his condition worsens the closer the full moon comes. Josh tries to brush it off, but maybe he should listen to his friends? Lots of hurt!Josh& sick!Josh coupled with Aidan/ Josh moments, and of course Sally is adorable as ever.

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><p>The three friends are spending yet another evening in their own little bubble of madness, within the four walls that grant them a strange kind of normalcy. Sally called for a movie night, so now she and Aidan are sprawled over the couch, glancing at the TV while Josh sits in the armchair with his laptop on his lap, typing in numbers, occasionally biting on his thumb nail.<p>

"Ugh, commercial again!" Sally throws up her hands in exasperation. She hates those.

"... they won't show less if you keep pondering on it, you know," Aidan huffs, his head resting on his hand, looking annoyed. He doesn't even know why he is watching this chick movie lacking any depth or plot.

"Still, this sucks. I mean, we are fully in the plot, we are about to come to the climax of the story – and then... commercial break for, what? Hand cream and dog food!" she mutters.

"Write a letter to the bosses, if it's that much of a matter of heart to you," Aidan snorts.

"Ha-ha, if I could hold a pen or punch in some keys on a laptop, I surely would!" Sally puckers her lips angrily.

"Again, pondering on it doesn't help you," Aidan sighs, in the hope that the female ghost will finally give in and simply deal with the hand cream and dog food commercials. However, Sally Malik is a bullhead through and through, which is why she instantly brings her attention to her other roommate, and orders him, "Josh! Write an e-mail to the editor, I'm mad!"

"What?" Josh blinks at her, tearing his eyes away from the laptop.

"Hello, earth to Josh! We are having conversation!" Sally grumbles, but Aidan corrects her, "We two were... or rather... you just yell and I nod my head to appear polite."

"Just that you don't appear polite," Sally huffs.

"Aww, that almost hurt your my feelings," Aidan snickers. Sally makes a dismissive gesture of the hands before turning her attention back to the werewolf, "Josh! Write that godforsaken mail already!"

Suddenly the lights flicker.

"Sally, we talked about this. We are not going to give in to your threats if you break the house apart. That is not the way adults act, hm?" Aidan scolds her. He actually enjoys teasing her when she is in one of her tantrums. It's always better than those awful movies.

"You are the one to talk!" Sally hisses.

"Hey, I don't try to break the house apart just because I don't like commercials," Aidan argues.

"Ah, shuddup already," Sally rolls her eyes.

"What is this about?" Josh blinks at them, running a hand over his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't really listen to... _that_," Josh grimace politely, turning his attention to his roommates. Only now he actually takes notice of their mock fight.

"Nothing you missed," Aidan snorts.

"I am annoyed coz of the commercials and now I want to write a mail to the bosses of the TV company to stop that. And since I can't write, you'll have to," Sally explains as if it was the most natural thing on earth.

"... did you write one to them before? When you were still alive?" Josh questions.

"No, why?" Sally makes a face.

"Why is it such a matter of heart to you _now?"_ Josh frowns.

"you know exactly why! Now I'm a ghost! That means I'm mostly stuck watching stupid TV! All I want is some romance, some humor, anything out of the ordinary! But commercials just show me the reality that just sucks. I want to have a bit of... fancy fiction," Sally admits.

"Well, I feel with you, but don't you think it's a bit drastic?" Josh argues, his tone soft and soothing.

He often talks to her like he does with his patients, at least when she is having one of her mood swings. That actually works most of the time, though Josh hopes that Sally never finds out that he talks to her that way, or else they will have goo coming out of the sinks for a week.

"Just for me? Write that mail and cuss at them!" Sally bargains.

"I will not write to those people to stop the commercials. Or you really think that they'd listen to one mail by some stranger to leggo of all that money they make with these?" Josh replies, now a bit sterner.

"Listen to reason, Sally," Aidan grins.

"Ah! You are both so mean!" Sally mutters, folding her arms over her chest.

"Just realistic," Aidan shrugs.

"If only I weren't a ghost, then you'd...," Sally means to say, but the vampire interrupts her, "Even if you were as human as the rest of people, I wouldn't help you with that. You are just being weird again."

"I'm boxed in, Aidan! What else do I have to focus on if not on commercials and... whatever else going on inside this house?!" Sally insists.

"Well, then fuss about it all you want, but can't you do that more quietly and... to yourself?" Aidan snorts.

"I hate you!" Sally puckers her lips angrily.

"You love me and you know it," Aidan huffs.

"Not when you are like that!" Sally retorts.

Josh glances at the screen, blinking repeatedly. His sight is blurring each time he tries to glance at the screen again. He never had problems with his eyesight before. Maybe he has to get glasses after all, or contacts.

Though he would rather not.

Then Aidan and Sally won't ever stop cracking nerd jokes at his expenses.

Sally tilts her head at him, "What are you doing on the laptop anyways, Josh? You missed half of the movie!"

"Again, nothing he missed," Aidan snorts.

"Hello! We're having a movie night!" Sally argues.

"None of the movies I would have picked, though," Aidan insists. Because, actually, movie nights in their household means that Sally gets her will, or that Josh manages to get them into yet another Star Wars marathon.

"Anywho, what is so much more interesting than this wonderful movie night?" the ghost questions.

"... taxes, loans, finances... someone's gotta, after all," Josh shrugs. Not that he actually enjoys doing these.

"What? I don't eat or anything. And is not like I can work or whatever to earn my rent," Sally argues. "So don't blame me!"

"I didn't mean you," Josh shrugs.

"Then what?" Sally makes a face.

"Nothing, nothing," Josh shakes his head, his eyes drifting off to the screen again, to which Sally frown even more.

"Still about that, Josh?" Aidan rolls his eyes. Sally's frown only deepens, so the vampire explains, "... we kinda had it arranged that we take turns on doing that, but... uh... let's just say I kinda suck at the whole... online-paying-stuff."

"Huh?" Sally makes a face, so Josh jumps in this time, "Last time I let Aidan do this, he overdrew the account, like... totally wiped it empty, and that money then somehow ended up on an account for... a firm in China producing artificial vomit. Not to mention I only learned about that once they almost shut down electricity for the building. Only God knows how you managed that."

"Seriously, how did you do that?!" Sally blinks at the vampire. Aidan shrugs, making a face.

"You are like... ancient... you know more than most people coz you lived it, and you can't handle online banking?" Sally huffs.

"I'm not _ancient,_ I'm just older than 200 years, for the record, and... in my defense, I didn't have to do that for the longest of times because I lived with my lair, where someone else handled it, if at all. Plus, I normally use paper and pen and then there are those neatly written papers you just have to fill out and bring to the post office, if that concept is any familiar to you, still," Aidan argues.

"You're so outdated," Sally snickers.

"Whatever," Aidan snorts. "Well, either way, since then Josh is taking care of it so that I don't... invest... in artificial vomit made in China anymore."

"Josh, you have my sympathy," Sally bows to him mockingly.

"Thank you," the werewolf winks at her. He tries to focus on the screen again, but the lines are just getting blurry again.

He lets out a grunt, "Need more coffee."

Josh gets up, puts the laptop on the table and makes his way into the kitchen. Aidan leans over the back of the couch as Josh fingers for the coffee pot.

"How many did you have already?" the vampire questions.

"What?" the werewolf frowns at him.

"You down that stuff the whole day already. To me it's a miracle that you didn't go through the roof thanks to the caffeine-overload by now," Aidan replies.

"Is my coffee consumption a new issue of your interest now, or what?" Josh makes a face. He is simply tired, for goodness' sake. If not for the caffeine, Josh would have called it a night before sunset. And normally, Josh always feels fairly energetic, but these days... he just feels drained.

"No, I just hope this doesn't mean that you'll crawl the walls all night long now coz you are caffeine-fidgety," Aidan argues. He has seen Josh on coffee-overload once – and that was surely no pleasure. Josh is perhaps the only roommate who managed to clean the entire house in one night-shift, from top to bottom, and yes, he always worked on the joints with a toothbrush. That Aidan didn't get any sleep either is nothing that bothered the werewolf that night, so Aidan is actually having an eye on his caffeine level.

"Am I fidgety right now?" the werewolf argues, holding up his hand as proof.

"Not more than usual," Aidan shrugs.

"Then I'm fine having another cup of coffee," Josh snorts, purposely taking a long sip from the brown beverage.

"Suit yourself. But don't whine when I get to tell you that I told you so," Aidan huffs.

"I'll come back to that," Josh nods before he sits back down in his seat and grabs the laptop.

"Oh, my God! He kissed her!" Sally cries out excitedly as the couple in the movie shares the "epic kiss" of all romances. The ghost holds her arms in front of her chest in awe.

"... isn't that just the way those movies work? They get to know each other, they are head-over-heels, then crisis, then they kiss, then someone runs after the other... and then happy ending," Aidan argues.

"Don't forget there's usually a fountain, rain orelevator scene," Josh adds.

"True," Aidan agrees.

"Not to forget the cheesy music," Josh goes on.

"Oh, right!" Aidan smirks, realizing Sally's anger boiling higher and higher.

Teasing her is definitely more fun than this movie.

"And a car driving off and the guy running after her, or the other way around, though less common," Josh snickers.

"Shut up!" Sally cries out.

"Or some smart-ass quote by some author or philosopher towards the end," Aidan grins.

"Or the third person who would be so much more fitting lets the girl go, because he sees how much she is in love with this other guy, who is just not the man of her dreams, but then kinda," Josh sticks out his tongue.

"Yeah, love triangles!" Aidan agrees. "And competition over her."

"Beating each other up or rolling down some mound," Josh nods.

"Oh, and there's always some bitch who is competing with the chick!" Aidan says.

"Both of you! Lemme watch my movie already!" Sally curses.

"You force us to watch it with you, and not just letting you watch it alone – so don't complain about us complaining," Aidan argues. She had it coming.

"But you don't watch these alone!" Sally insists.

"Why not?" Aidan makes a face. If she doesn't want them to comment on the film, she should better keep them out of it from the start. Sally knows by now that neither one is too fond of her favorite films, well, Josh likes a few of them, but he, like Aidan, also likes to bicker about them to tease Sally.

"You just don't!" Sally shrugs.

"... great line of argumentation," Aidan blinks at her.

"Whatever," Sally grumbles.

"Wow, that was just as...," Aidan snickers, but that is when Josh intervenes, "Aidan, play nice."

"I thought you were on my side," Aidan pouts.

"I don't like those movies, but we are trying to be normal, well... watching a movie together is. And it's her good right to say that we should spend time with her," Josh argues.

"Thank-you, Josh!" Sally smiles proudly. She would clap him on the shoulder now if she could.

"Traitor," Aidan mutters.

Josh just shrugs at him as he focuses on the screen again, taking another sip of the coffee.

"Seriously?" Aidan cocks an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, just do what I do," Josh tells him.

"And that is?" Aidan makes a face.

"Don't pay attention, just be there for her," Josh replies.

"Okay, that is mean to some degree... but also kinda cute, thinking about it," Sally grimaces. "So thank you!"

"As I said, traitor," Aidan grumbles.

"Doing the part you'd normally do when it comes to the loan and being there for Sally... I don't see how I'm the traitor on this one," Josh argues.

"Right, this time Josh's everybody's darling, my fangy friend," Sally joins forces with the werewolf.

"Don't call me that," Aidan warns her in a low voice.

"Fang Man?" Sally grins. She knows that Aidan likes to tease her about her movies, but so does she love to tease him with silly names. For someone who is actually always so calm in most situations, this is surprisingly something that gets him over the edge quite fast.

"Knock it off," Aidan warns her.

"A-fang-istan?" Sally sticks out her tongue.

"Wow, we just hit the next bottom," Aidan rolls his eyes.

"Fanglomerate," Josh smirks, his eyes fixed on the computer.

"Seriously, Josh?" Aidan cries out.

"I don't even know what the hell that is? Is that something or did you just make it up? I kinda like it!" Sally grins at him. Josh still eyes the computer as he goes on in a mute voice, "That's when a series of conglomerates accumulate into an alluvial fan in fast eroding environments. This forms rock units called fanglomerates. That's where oil fields in the North Sea come from."

"... can I call you that, Aidan?" Sally smirks at Aidan dumbly. "An old rock?"

"You dare, you die... oh wait, you already did, so... I don't know, I exorcise you," Aidan threatens her.

"You would not," Sally argues. "Because you love me. And because I'm darn adorable."

"And I will kindly forget about all that if you don't quit with the names," Aidan grins in a sing-song.

"So you get to tease me about my absolutely awesome movies, but I get exorcised for giving you cute nicknames?" Sally makes a face.

"Exactly," Aidan nods.

"You really are an old rock," Sally mutters. "And anyways, I know that this just hot air."

"My Latin's not halfway bad," Aidan sneers. "And you can look those exorcisms up on the internet."

"Ah!" Sally hisses. "But you don't know how to use a computer."

"Oh, I know how to use a computer, I just fail at online banking," Aidan corrects her. "So, wanna chance it?"

"Phew!" Sally huffs. "Bring it on, fanglo... whatever the rest was!"

"He's right, though. You just have to type in exorcism and google delivers you all of it," Josh says. Sally whips her head around to face him, "You read that also?"

Josh shrugs at her innocently.

"How dare you?!" Sally cries out.

"Predicaments against a not so friendly ghost?" Aidan grins.

"Josh?" Sally taps her foot on the floor, waiting for an answer.

"I just read...," Josh tells her.

"But why do you read stuff about how to get rid of me?!" Sally pouts.

"I didn't search for it. I just stumbled over it," Josh insists.

"You don't stumble over that!" Sally argues vehemently.

"I do," Josh insists, and Aidan agrees, "He reads the most random shit you've ever seen."

Aidan knows that ever since he had to carry in the masses of books Josh brought into the household. Of course there are plenty of medical books, but Aidan spotted more than one random book about the geographic conditions near volcanoes or the feeding habits of certain birds. Especially around the full moon Josh just _loves_ to read such things.

"You and your random stuff... you have to stop looking up those weird things. I tell you all the while, man!" Sally shakes her head.

"I'll keep that in mind," Josh makes a mock salute before his eyes fall back on the online banking. He really has to get this done. If only the letters stopped moving.

Maybe Aidan was right after all.

Too much coffee makes his mind fidgety.

"Either way, call me that other thing again and I'll look up exorcisms on purpose," Aidan threatens the ghost, who leans back, making a face, "Negh-negh-negh."

That is the closest thing to normal their movie nights are ever going to get.

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><p>A few days later, Josh and Aidan are at the hospital on their shift, walking down the corridors.<p>

"... Are you taking over Ms. Morgan for me?" Aidan asks.

"Why should I?" Josh makes a face. Aidan normally doesn't ask him to take over his patients. He actually hates it that there is this kind of black market among the staff where they trade patients like kids do with their trading card games.

_I have one with summer cholera – but the relatives always bring cookies. What can you deliver? _

_Coma patient, but his wife does most of the cleaning, so it's easy work. _

_Deal. _

_Deal._

_Anyone got something to trade for a rash?_

And the vampire on more than one occasion pointed out that he hates it, so Josh is honestly surprised that Aidan is now suddenly asking him for it.

"... you have a good rapport with those grannies," Aidan tells him, though it's fairly obvious that he is playing the compliment-card here.

"I get along with most of the patients, does that make it my obligation to take care of all patients who actually don't throw their bedpan after me?" Josh argues. No, his roommate will have to do better than that if he wants to trade patients.

"Josh, c'mon, don't make me beg you. She hates me!" Aidan puckers his lips.

"She doesn't _hate_ you," Josh shakes his head.

"Yes, she does," Aidan insists.

"Aidan, she is just... difficult and scared. And I bet that her anger or whatever isn't even directed at you. She doesn't hate _you,"_ Josh argues, to which Aidan replies with a dead-pan, "She said: Aidan Waite – I hate you. And then threw the flowers her niece brought her at my face!"

"Oh well.. maybe that is...," Josh mumbles with a grimace. Aidan leans closer to whisper at him, "Seriously, right now I just wanna suck that old witch dry so that she shuts up."

"We talked about how we don't eat the patients," Josh scolds him.

They are weird, aren't they?

But by now they accepted that their kind of normal is just weird.

Others talk about the weather.

They talk about eating people because they are monsters.

"Then help me already!" Aidan cries out.

"Aidan, I have enough other stuff to do," Josh argues.

"I take one of yours in turn, fine, two! C'mon, just spare me this evil witch!" Aidan bargains.

"If you keep calling her that, it won't improve much, you know?" Josh snorts.

"I don't want our relationship to improve, I want her to drop dead!" Aidan retorts.

"Aidan...," Josh lets a heavy sigh.

"Fine, I just want her to shut up and leave me alone. We hate each other equally," Aidan corrects himself. "So... help me, big please!"

He folds his hand in front of him, actually putting on pleading eyes.

"You're serious," Josh makes a face. If Aidan Waite begs someone, he really means it.

"She's driving me insane!" Aidan cries out. "One more day and I will do... things... _bad_ things."

"... But for that you take care of Mr. Carter for me," Josh supposes.

"What about him?" Aidan narrows his eyes at him, but Josh grins at him, "You will see. You either buy the pig in the poke or you go... with your... _sow."_

"Fine, okay, I take over that one for as long as you spare me her evil eye!" Aidan nods. He just has to get away from her. Aidan felt his fangs poking the inside of his cheek often enough when around her.

"Wow, must really mean something to you if you...," Josh means to say, but before he gets to finish the sentence, he crashes into another nurse with a carriage in front of her, so hard that it knocks him to the ground.

"Josh! You okay?" Aidan blinks at him worriedly, but Josh already scrambles back to his feet, his attention on the nurse he knocked into, "Sorry, did I hurt you or anything, Judy?"

"No, I'm fine," Judy assures him, only for her frown to deepen. "But you're not."

"What?" Josh blinks at her. Judy points at his arm which has a gash oozing blood.

Great, just great.

"Ah, darn. Sorry, I...," Josh mutters, whipping his head around. Aidan can't help the frown. Josh is seriously the only person he knows who apologizes if he is hurt. That guy, really.

"Wait, lemme help you with the...," Josh already means to bow down to help her pick up the things that fell off the carriage, but Judy holds up her hands, "I got it, I got it."

"She's right," Aidan tells him. "C'mon, we need to clean that."

"I can do that myself," Josh argues.

"Might need stitches, you genius. Wanna see you making those with just one hand," Aidan huffs.

"I'm so sorry, Judy," Josh apologizes another time.

"Hey, no problems. I wasn't paying attention either," Judy tells him, flashing a sweet smile.

"C'mon, or else you'll bleed all over the floor. I don't wanna clean that up," Aidan tells him, pulling Josh into one of the storage rooms where they have dressings and the like. Aidan pulls up one chair and knocks on the seat, motioning for Josh to sit down. He obeys, but looks rather reluctant.

The other thing quite curious about Josh Levison?

He is a great orderly, but a lousy patient.

"Only you get a wound like that from... walking," Aidan huffs as he gathers the items he needs.

"I already said I'm sorry, okay?" Josh argues.

"Josh, you don't have to apologize for that," Aidan shakes his head. The vampire plops down in another chair and pulls one of the metal trays on wheels over to him with his foot to put the material on it. Aidan puts on some gloves before he then starts to unwrap the first packages in a practiced way. It really has its upsides to be a nurse – at least you can always patch up your friend if he ends up hurting himself.

Aidan applies a stack of gauze bandages to Josh's arm to get the first blood away. He doesn't look up as he speaks in a softer tone, "But... everything okay with you?"

"I bump into something every five minutes, as you constantly remind me. I'm clumsy by nature," Josh snorts. He always gets it rubbed under his nose that he is a klutz.

Well, he is, so maybe that stands to reason.

It's just that sometimes he is with his head somewhere else that he really can't focus on anything else. Imagination is such a wonderful place at times.

"That's of course true, but you seem rather... jittery these days," Aidan grimaces, allowing concern to show. He observed in the last few days that Josh bumped into things more regularly, and that even at home. Something that actually became less common, now that Josh knows where everything stands so that he doesn't have to look to know where he is walking. Just this morning, he missed a step and almost fell down the last bit of the stairs.

"Whatever," Josh rolls his eyes.

"Hey, I don't mean it in a bad way," Aidan argues as he starts to clean out the wound.

"I know... I guess it's just... you know, this time of the month drawing closer again," Josh exhales. It's not like he didn't realize just how often he bumped into things – if the bruises on his shins and arms weren't proof enough.

"Ah, well, that explains... part of it," Aidan grins as he tosses a few of the gauzes into the trashcan.

"If you crack your PMS joke again, I will smack you," Josh warns him.

"Hey, don't smack the guy so kind to clean your cut," Aidan scolds him.

"No one's forcing you. I can do it myself also, you know," Josh grumbles.

Really, a _very_ lousy patient.

"Josh, I'm just messing with you. Now don't be mad," Aidan grins, now in a softer tone.

"I'm mad by definition," Josh huffs.

"You know how I mean it," Aidan snickers.

"Yeah," Josh sighs.

They are all mad, weird, messed-up, but at least they are messed-up together, right?

"Okay, well, lucky you, the cut won't need stitches, and your dog smell prevents me from turning... _me._ So we are good to go. I'll just wrap that little quick, then all's as good as new," Aidan tells him.

"... thanks," Josh mumbles, once again, looking more like a teenager than an adult.

"Not prob. You patch me up like... all the time," Aidan winks at him. He throws the last packages in the trashcan before continuing with his work of dressing the wound.

"True again," Josh shrugs.

"And you save me from Ms. Morgan, so... you get a bit of credit for that," Aidan snickers.

"Got it right," Josh agrees.

"Ah, there. All done," Aidan says as he takes off the gloves, letting them snap into the trashcan. He finishes the band-aid to hold the bandage in place before he claps his thighs as he gets up. "Feels okay or you wanna take something for the pain?"

"It's just a cut, man," Josh snorts. He might be acting childishly at times, but he is not that much of a wuss.

"Then let's get back to work," Aidan grins, grasping Josh by the shoulder as they both stand up.

"Yup," Josh agrees, clapping Aidan's lower arm as a thank-you gesture. With that they exit and start walking down the corridors again, as though nothing ever happened.

"Mr. Carter is right here in this room," Josh nods at the door to their left.

"Alright. You know where Ms. Morgan houses," Aidan says.

"Down this way, to the left, third room to the right, got it," Josh agrees. "I'll catch you later."

It never ceases to amaze Aidan that Josh always knows where almost any patient is – plus full name, age, clinical picture, family history, family members with hobbies, friends and favorite color, their antics, their favorite food and so on and so on.

It just shows that he really cares about them. Josh just is that way, so the vampire figures, and that is something he truly admires him for.

"See ya," Aidan waves. "Don't get hurt again, will you?"

Josh rolls his eyes before he turns around to heads off. Aidan enters the room, putting on his nicest of smiles, "Good day, Mr. Carter. I'm Aidan and I..."

But that is when a shrill shriek erupts, "Where's that greedy leprechaun? That Jew will only steal my money! But not with me! Do you know him?! Are you friends with him!? You just want my money also, don't you!?"

Aidan rolls his eyes. No wonder Josh wanted to get rid of that guy.

"Uhm, Josh is with another patient, which means that I'm taking care of you today," Aidan goes on with his diplomatic tone.

"You're a Jew, too! I can see it at your nose!" the man cries out in a high-pitched voice. Aidan grimaces, trying to ignore the antisemitism, playing nice. It's really a miracle Josh didn't ask him to take over for that guy.

"Now, Mr. Carter, how about we get you dressed, hm?" Aidan asks with a fake smile, clapping his hands together, only to get the reply, "Stay away from me, Infidel!"

"Now put the cross down!" Aidan holds up his hands in a reassuring gesture.

"By the dear Lord Jesus Christ, stay away from me!" the man hollers. Aidan approaches the man with a roll of his eyes, closing the door.

Josh will pay for that.


	2. Stress

Author's Note: Thanks for sticking around!

I hope you'll like it^^

Read, review, and hopefully enjoy ;)

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><p>Josh and Aidan enter the house, now that their shift is finally over. Aidan throws his bag on the couch with a sigh, "What a day."<p>

"You made the bargain, not me," Josh shrugs as he takes off his jacket.

"Ahahaha," Aidan mockingly laughs out loud. "You know that I will get back at you for that, right?"

"What? You said you'd take over my patient if I took over Ms. Morgan. I did. You did. Live with it," Josh argues.

"You think you're so smart now, don't you?" Aidan snorts.

"A bit," Josh grins.

"Well, at least Carter didn't try to exorcise me the way he said he tried with you," Aidan snorts. They walk into the kitchen.

"Yep, water in my face each day to baptize me, told me how my people killed his Jesus, and he threw the cross at my head couple of times. And for a senile guy his seventies he's still got one helluva aim," Josh nods, not at all too fond of that experience. And God knows he tried to be on good terms with Mr. Carter. Josh was always polite, he even wished him a _blessed_ morning, but the old man never gave a damn, but instead went on with his mission of exorcising him.

"Wow, okay," Aidan knits his eyebrows at him. "Why didn't you ever mention it before?"

"... it hurt my perfect record," Josh jokes, because normally, there is no patient who doesn't at least like him.

"Seriously?" Aidan huffs.

"What? I liked the reputation," Josh insists.

"As the Patient Whisperer, yeah, I'm quite sure," Aidan snorts.

"What? It's better than other nicknames," Josh argues.

"You're still not over how they called you Baby Doll and Bambi, huh?" Aidan snickers.

"Because they don't fit, at all," Josh shrugs.

"True... deers are elegant, while you just run into things," Aidan grins. "But then again, if it's about deers running in front of a truck, it fits actually. I mean, that's bull's eye, pretty much. You are... Bambi."

"Oh, whatever!" Josh snorts. "Anyways, you know that I don't like to trade patients. I thought that maybe I'd break through to him, but I guess my religion actually really stood in the way. But when you asked for it, I said to myself that maybe it wasn't meant to be."

"At some point I'm glad he believed I'm just an atheist. So he pretty much gives up on me altogether coz I'm already damned, or so he told me. Immortal soul shit and stuff," Aidan rolls his eyes. "You, on the other hand, he still thinks he can turn."

Because, even though it is clear that Mr. Carter is convinced that Josh is a Jewish leprechaun seeking his gold, he actually asked for Josh to come back so that he can carry on with his mission of purifying him, or whatever it is that he thinks he is doing. Aidan stopped listening after the fifth time he talked about how he was a damned Infidel and shall burn in hell.

"Tell me about it," Josh snorts. Aidan bows down in front of the fridge to grab a blood bag. He hands Josh a juice, who takes it gratefully.

"Did he recite the Bible to you, too?" Aidan asks as he closes the lid and starts to pour the blood into his mug before putting it in the microwave.

"Numerous times," Josh exhales. "I got a new Bible verse every day... along with a cross at my head. Though I don't know if this is really how you either baptize or exorcise people... I mean... I'm Jewish, but... that doesn't sound right to me."

"I don't think he gives a lot on... reality," Aidan shrugs.

"True again," Josh grimaces.

"Well, still better than the evil witch," Aidan shrugs.

"Hm, she was not as hostile today," Josh puckers his lips.

"What did she do?" Aidan makes a face. "Or rather, what didn't she do?"

"Well, I don't know. She was not as awful as I had anticipated. Though I was honestly shocked at how she treated her niece. I mean, she comes in, bang, gets one of her stress balls right in the face," Josh shakes his head at the memory. He honestly had to let out a yelp once he saw the ball hitting the girl right in the face, after she greeted her as kindly as ever.

"Yep, she didn't quite grasp the concept of those. I think she really believes they relieve stress only if you throw them at someone. She has like... a whole bucket of them beside the bed," Aidan agrees.

"And oh my God, she won't shut up," Josh cries out. He is already a verbal ramble machine, he knows that, but she really puts a new edge to it if she is in her tantrums. Not once did Josh hear so many words coming out of a person's mouth at once.

"I know. I was not interested in her friggin' kittens and what food they have to eat so they don't get diarrhea, or a detailed report on what happens if they don't get the right food, gah. I almost puked right in her face, and I don't even eat. Blegh," Aidan grumbles.

"Yeah, that was the kind of conversation I really wasn't looking forward to," Josh shakes his head.

"It's the kind of conversation people should never have," Aidan agrees.

"I think we should put them in the same room so they just kill each other, he with the cross, she with the stress balls," Josh suggests, to which Aidan flashes a broad smile, "Tremendous idea. Let's just do that! Two problems less to deal with."

Suddenly Sally pops in the room, rambling, "Hey, guys. You are back. How was work? My day was boring as hell, as always."

"Hi Sally. Indeed we are. Work was exhausting. Sucks for you," Aidan mimics her tone.

"Oh, whatever, Aidan!" Sally grumbles. "I'm just trying to be nice and show that I care about you, and see how you thank me for that."

She looks at Josh, tilting her head, "Josh, what happened to your arm?"

"Little accident in the hallway, just a small cut. No need to worry," the werewolf assures her quickly.

"Oh, you're just so clumsy, poor little puppy," Sally sighs.

"Could we not call me puppy?" Josh grimaces.

"What? It sounds so lovely," Aidan snickers.

"Really, fanglomerate?" Josh retorts.

"Shuddup," Aidan grumbles.

Josh snickers as he leans against the counter, sipping his juice.

"And how was your day, other than almost dying from the cut?" Sally asks.

"Was alright, annoying, but alright... and for the record, I didn't die or was even close," Josh argues.

"Did you cry?" Sally grins.

"What?! No. Of course not," Josh shakes his head.

"Oh, you did," Sally says in a mockingly soothing tone. "Aww, poor little puppy."

"I did not Sally, now cut the crap," Josh grumbles.

"I think I heard a sniffle," Aidan grins.

"Seriously, Aidan? I can still step down from the bargain and take over my own exorcist again," Josh threatens him, narrowing his eyes at the vampire, who almost shrieks, "Hey, now don't play unfair here!"

"Who's your exorcist?" Sally frowns, so Josh explains, "A patient at the hospital. He tries to convert me to Christianity really bad by throwing the cross against my head. I traded with Aidan, because he is afraid of the elderly Lady who keeps him updated on her kitten's shitting habits."

"What kinda people creep around this place, you tell me?" Sally makes a face. She heard a few stories by now, but those are even more bizarre than the ones she sees on her hospital drama shows on TV – and those are fictional.

"Don't ask me," Aidan holds up his hands.

"Either way, we traded – because Aidan really wanted to get away from the creepy Lady. And I just thought about stepping down from that arrangement again," Josh goes on to brief Sally, but then turns to Aidan. "You know, Ms. Morgan said that she'd actually get photos of the kittens to show to you. She's been asking about you all day."

"She hates me," Aidan argues.

Why would she ask for him? Aidan was most certainly convinced that she'd do a happy-dance once he no longer took off.

"She wants to see if she manages to kill you with that," Josh grins.

"You can't do this to me, man," Aidan whines.

"Well?" Josh grins.

"Josh was totally brave and let me clean his cut like any other adult," Aidan tells Sally, before glancing at Josh in annoyance, "Happy now?"

"Think so," Josh snickers.

"Well, not so fun times for you, but... can either one of you change channels for me now, please? I'm bound watching this stupid channel in ages, and I'm tired of those... documentaries about... hibernation. I don't wanna know where bears hide their poo," Sally asks hopefully, dancing from one foot to the other.

"Oh, sure, sorry that I didn't think about changing the channel before we left," Josh nods frantically, already walking ahead into the living room. He really tries to think about everything to make it a little easier for Sally, but he seemingly forgot about it this morning. Well, darn.

Just why is his head so fuzzy these days?

"No bother," Sally assures him as she skips after him. Even though she asks for it, the female ghost doesn't blame them for forgetting it once in a while, especially since Josh is so overly nice and cute when he asks her how she wants it. He even buys her what Aidan refers to as "chick magazines" to spread out over the kitchen table so that she can read them over the course of the day.

"Which one you wanna watch?" Josh asks as he takes the remote from the table.

"Huh? News would be nice," Sally tells him.

"Did I forget to spread out the newspaper for you? Then I'm sorry for that also," Josh asks, now almost in exasperation. He honestly thought he didn't forget about _that._

"No, no, just didn't feel like reading today," Sally holds up her hands.

"Ah, okay...," Josh sighs with relief. "Here you go, Miss."

"Thank you, Sir," Sally grins at him. Josh settles down on the couch, Sally does the same. The news start to ramble as Aidan walks inside, too, sitting on the back of the couch.

"... _and here a special announcement for all hobby astronomers. There will be a full lunar eclipse in three days from now. That means that the sun will cover the moon at 12.00 p.m.. Here a photograph of a lunar eclipse four years ago. This phenomenon is not as rare as a solar eclipse, but still interesting to observe. For all those interested in astronomical phenomena, please see our website for further information. Now the weather announcements_..."

"Hey, Josh? What does a lunar eclipse do to you puppies?" Sally asks, blinking at the werewolf curiously.

"Huh?" Josh frowns at her.

"Well, newslady just said that there'll be this lunar eclipse thingy. What does that do to you werewolves? Do you glow green or red or do you grow an extra tail or something? Oh, or do you really turn puppies?! That would be so damn cute!" Sally asks.

"How would I know? I didn't have that since I was turned," Josh shakes his head.

"Aidan?" Sally turns to the vampire. He knows a lot more about the monsters inside of them than they do themselves, at times.

"Hey, don't look at me. I'm no dogwhisperer or whatever," Aidan huffs.

"Hey, if there's no moon... then maybe you don't turn!" Sally suggests.

"Might be... that would be pretty sweet, thinking about it," Josh taps his chin mindfully.

He honestly never thought about that.

"Sweet would be werewolf puppies. Aww," Sally smiles broadly at the image of little puppies.

"If that is yet another attempt of yours to get us into buying you a dog, then...," Aidan grumbles, but the female ghost interrupts him, "Why are you so much against it, though?! I mean, a cute little puppy I could play with and..."

"_Play with_? How?" Aidan snorts.

"Aw, Aidan, that's mean!" Sally pouts.

"I don't wanna offend you, but as a matter of fact, you can't touch things. The poor mutt would just be bored outta his mind, would pee and shit all over the place, leaving us to clean up the mess once we come home after work. You couldn't even walk him. And I won't walk a dog. Is enough I walk Josh," Aidan argues.

"You are awful, Aidan!" Sally cries out, before turning to the werewolf almost soothingly, "Josh, he doesn't mean it like that!"

"What?" Josh blinks at her.

"Stop spacing out on us!" Sally cries out.

"Uh, sorry, I was just...," Josh mutters, and Sally scaffolds, "Spacing out. Hey, be at least mentally there when Aidan is accusing you."

"You're accusing me?!" Josh frowns.

"Just a comment," Aidan argues.

"Well, I'm sorry for not paying attention, I was just thinking about the lunar eclipse thing...," Josh admits sheepishly. "I never thought about it before, you see?"

"Okay, I let you think about it on your own," Sally sighs. Josh nods, more to himself, though, instantly back on the topic. Sally shrugs at Aidan, he shrugs back at her.

Sometimes it's better to leave Josh to his own thoughts.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Aidan comes downstairs, now fully dressed after the shower. He finds Sally goofing around with what looks like a... stress ball.<p>

"Hey," Aidan greets her, tilting his head at her.

"Hey," she replies, her eyes still focused on the yellow ball in front of her.

"... what are you doing with... a stress ball?" Aidan makes a face.

"Huh?" she blinks at him, but then shrugs. "Oh, Josh gave it to me this morning, said I could try to train moving it on purpose. This is actually fun! Look, look, I already manage like... an inch!"

"Hey, great success for you. At least you seemingly have something to do now," Aidan grins. Sometimes Josh really has the best ideas – especially to keep Sally occupied. And that is something Aidan is honestly thankful for at some point, because if Sally is occupied, she is less tensed and much easier to handle. Plus, it means their house stays clean and in one piece.

"Right!" Sally exclaims happily.

"... and where's your... benefactor?" the vampire asks.

"Huh? Kitchen, I think," Sally tells him, but then her focus is back on the ball. The way she figures, once she can move a ball, she can move a remote, or at least press the keys, and that means that the TV is finally hers.

And that means... she has a new goal.

Aidan nods, heading to the kitchen. He actually finds Josh there, hunched over the the table, head resting on the surface, arms spread eagle, almost. Aidan frowns at the odd sight. He crosses over to sit opposite to Josh, who is seemingly taking no notice of him. Aidan simply plops his own head down on the table as well, so that his cheek rests on the tabletop. That is when Josh actually starts to glance back at him, seemingly taking notice of his friend now. Aidan flashes a brief smirk, leaving his head leveled, though, "Morning."

"... mornin'," Josh manages to say.

"You okay there?" Aidan asks tentatively.

"Hm?" Josh hums.

"Well, you kinda hang here like a dead fish," Aidan frowns.

"Dunno," Josh tells him, shrugging his shoulders, though even that movement comes out rather sluggish.

"Rough night?" Aidan grimaces sympathetically.

"Dunno," Josh sighs.

"Are you just gonna continue to speak one word at a time?" the vampire questions.

"Maybe," Josh exhales.

"Wow, okay. That either means you're moody today, or you're actually really worse for the wear, huh?" Aidan frowns. He straightens back up again, tapping Josh on the lower arm, "C'mon, sleeping beauty, up and at them."

Josh lazily sits up also. Now with more light falling on his features, one can see dark circles under his eyes, which appear rather bloodshot.

"I think we're going for the latter, huh?" Aidan grimaces.

"I'm fine," Josh grunts, his face buried in his hands, which muffles his voice. He just wants to get over with this day, creep back under the bed and sleep it off.

"Sure, coz you just look like it," Aidan snorts, to which Josh glares at him blearily.

"If you want, I can call in sick for you," Aidan offers.

"I'm not sick, Aidan, just tired," Josh grumbles.

"Wow, the first real sentence, I'm impressed," Aidan huffs.

"Yeah, aren't I amazing?" Josh grins crookedly.

"But you really look worse for the wear, buddy. You kinda have... this vampirish complexion now, which means... you are definitely too pale for a normal person," Aidan grimaces.

"Shut up, Aidan. I'm an adult. I decide when I go to work and when I don't," Josh mutters.

"Hey, I don't wanna mother you or anything," Aidan holds up his hands in surrender.

"Good, coz that'd be really, really awkward," Josh makes a face.

"But really, if you don't feel so good, even if you're not sick... you could still call it a day," the vampire argues, but Josh is not at all too fond of the idea, "Aidan, I'm fine. I won't waste my free days for something like this if I can help it."

"Hey, suit yourself,"Aidan shrugs.

"And if I were indeed sick, then this might help us both, think about it," Josh suddenly says. Aidan turns around to him, "What now?"

"If I'm sick, maybe I get it on our two monsters in hospital so they catch it, too," Josh suggests. He manages a lopsided smirk, running another hand over his face.

"Hm, that's tempting of course," Aidan chuckles. "Even if it's kinda against policy to give patients a disease on purpose..."

"I think we'd do world a favor," Josh shrugs.

"True again...," Aidan agrees. "Did you eat something?"

Josh points at the empty bottle of juice and two packs of aspirin.

"Ah, the breakfast for the champions," Aidan winces.

"Got it right," Josh snorts.

"Hey, by the way, did you steal that stress ball from Ms. Morgan, the one Sally is playing around with, or what?" Aidan frowns.

"Not steal, she gave it to me," Josh corrects him, which only adds to Aidan's confusion, "Why would that female Scrooge give you something for free?"

"She gave me three of those. Told me to throw one at her niece once she came in, coz she felt tired, then one at Anabel coz she pisses her off... and one to smack you with," Josh explains.

"Oh, that evil witch!" Aidan grunts.

"I didn't, though," Josh shrugs.

"Really? She's normally very persistent," Aidan grimaces.

"I may or may not have told her that it's against hospital regulations to have such a bucket near the bed because it's blocking the staff from treatment," Josh tells him.

"Well, that's not too threatening for a witch like her," Aidan makes a face.

"I may have painted it in quite vivid pictures how she kicks the bucket and then all people just fall over the stress balls and she goes down in pain," Josh grimaces.

"What? Seriously?! You are usually so nice to your patients, and now _you_ threaten them?!" Aidan breaks out. Because Josh usually gives him hell if he does that.

"Well, it didn't work so well on her, but at least she stopped using me to throw balls at other people," Josh shrugs. "Desperate times call for desperate measurements."

"So what was the next step?" Aidan questions. "If that didn't do the whole trick."

"... It's possible that I kinda threatened her that I'd switch with Felicity," Josh grimaces.

"What about her?" Aidan makes a face. He can't imagine how that would actually work as a threat. Felicity is a nice nurse.

"Kryptonite," Josh shrugs.

"What now?" Aidan makes a face.

"You wanna beat the enemy? Find the kryptonite. Felicity is Ms. Morgan's kryptonite," Josh shrugs.

"Why?" Aidan grimaces.

"Because Ms. Morgan thinks that Felicity has the evil eye. She's scared that she will... enchant her or something," Josh shrugs. "So when I told her that I have specifically Felicity as her nurse, she gave in and... behaved herself, mostly."

Aidan nods, honestly impressed.

"God, paranoia must be a bliss for those two. To walk around being awful to people and don't get thrown into prison for it. I mean, they are racist, sexist, religiously offending, abusive... list goes on and on and on and on," Aidan rolls his eyes.

"They are sick, Aidan," Josh insists.

"Doesn't mean you have to act like a total asshole," the vampire argues.

"Well, for some it seemingly does. Those two... best example," Josh shrugs.

"Okay, so will you politely cough in their faces today?"Aidan asks hopefully.

"We'll see about that," Josh grins.

"Awesome," Aidan snickers, faking glee.

Josh gets up from the table, but staggers for a second. Aidan already is in a stance to take a hold of his friend, but Josh waves him off quickly.

"And you're sure about this whole... work thing?" Aidan grimaces. If he wasn't worried yet, he surely is now.

"Aidan, shush now. We already had that," Josh grunts as he straightens back up and pushes past the vampire.

"Hey, _you_ almost toppled over, not me," Aidan argues.

"Right, which makes it kinda my business," Josh snorts dismissively.

"God, I'm trying to be a good friend here and you're just being a bitch," Aidan sighs. Suddenly an orange stress ball plops against his forehead. Aidan grimaces before turning to Josh who is already walking to the door.

"You did not throw a stress ball at me!" Aidan cries out.

"No, definitely not!" Josh agrees. He already takes off, taking in the vampire's threatening posture.

"Josh! Come back here!" Aidan yells.

"We gotta get to work!" the werewolf grins.

"Get back here so I can behead you!" Aidan curses

"I'm already outside. If you wanna catch a ride, you better come!" Josh tells him. "Bye, Sally."

"Bye!" she nods.

"Josh, hey, wait up!" Aidan grumbles as he hurries after him.

"Have fun!" Sally waves after him. Aidan just grunts as he opens the door, the stress ball raised in his hand. He throws it at Josh, who surprisingly dodges and catches the ball as he opens the car door. Aidan means to yell something, but suddenly something drops on the top of his head – another stress ball. Josh almost topples over in the car in laughter.

"You're so dead, man!" Aidan yells as he runs down the stairs to the car. Josh still laughs so hard he has to hold his stomach.

Bullet dodged... thanks to a stress ball.

* * *

><p>Josh sits on his favorite bench, debating whether he can take a bite of that apple without choking on it. Maybe Aidan was right and he really should have stayed home. Josh has been dizzy the whole day and night, his muscles ache, his chest is tight, and only the thought of food makes him want to puke. He is that close from throwing the fruit across the lawn, but that is when Aidan appears to his left, still pissed over the stress ball incident. Josh instinctively covers his head with his arms, scooting away. Aidan smirks briefly before putting on a stern face again. He plops down next to Josh. The younger man withdraws from his position and sits up right again, though he is tensed, fearing his friend's reaction.<p>

"Hey, I'm coming in peace, or well, you came, and I... but I _sit_ in peace?" Josh holds up his hands defensively. Aidan just lets out a deep growl.

"Still so pissed, huh?" Josh grimaces. He knows that he did a number on Aidan for both Mr. Carter and the stress ball incident.

"You got no idea," Aidan grumbles in a low voice that makes Josh's skin crawl.

"Look, man, I just...," Josh means to apologize, but Aidan interrupts him, "Not talking about it."

"Even at the risk of getting hit really, really hard, I have to ask," Josh says tentatively. Aidan glares at him, but the werewolf goes on nevertheless, "Are you pissed at the fact that I threw something at you or that I actually hit?"

Both stare at each other for a few moments. And the slightest of smiles plays around Aidan's lips.

"I wasn't prepared for it!" he says eventually.

"So you see? Lucky shot, okay, two lucky shots. I never thought I'd really hit you," Josh defends himself.

"Oh, whatever, Josh," Aidan sighs, leaning his head back.

"I'm honest!" Josh insists.

"For a guy who can hardly walk in a straight line your pitch is dead-on," Aidan snorts.

"Little League. Only sport I was actually decent at," Josh grins.

"Yeah?" Aidan frowns. Josh hardly talks about his childhood – and Aidan honestly had no clue that Josh ever was in Little League.

"Hey, as I said. I can't walk a straight line, but if you batter out all the guys, you don't have to move at all...," Josh shrugs. That was the only thing that spared him to fail sports class – because in the other kinds of sports, Josh was just a royal loser.

"Uh-huh," Aidan puckers his lips, still looking pissed.

"C'mon, now stop being mad, okay?" Josh begs. Aidan turns to him, making a face again, but then actually cracks a smile, "I'm just teasing you."

"Oh, that's good," Josh lets a sigh of relief.

"I'll take my revenge eventually," Aidan grins.

"Oh, uh...," Josh stammers.

"Yep, when you least expect it, man," the vampire grins at him darkly.

"That is... disturbing," Josh makes a face, looking ahead. Aidan smirks, leaning back. Josh rolls the apple in his hands again, debating on whether or not he will keep that down.

"No Genie will pop outta that apple if you keep rubbing it," Aidan snorts.

"No shit?" Josh huffs. "And here I thought this would finally do the trick!"

"Just eat it already. Is making me dizzy watching you fidgeting around with it," Aidan grunts.

"I'm just... whatever," Josh sighs. No, food still sounds not like a very _fruitful_ idea.

"You should eat something, coz juice with meds might be the breakfast for the champions, but... it's still no real breakfast, you know?" Aidan tells him, allowing concern to show once again, but Josh only rewards it with a snort, "Thanks, mom."

He sets the apple down next to him.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about," Aidan grunts. Really, Josh is the lousiest patient... except for the Diabolic Duo they are treating right now.

"As I said, I decide on what I eat, Aidan. Stop hovering already," Josh grumbles.

"Well, normally _you_ do. Though I start to get it why you do it. It gives you this certain funny feeling in the chest, hm? That you know better," Aidan nods, clapping on his chest.

"Aidan, leave it alone," Josh rolls his eyes. He is not five, for goodness' sake.

"Eat something or go home, Josh. You are really...," Aidan means to say, but Josh interrupts him, quite harshly this time, "Aidan, for all it's worth, knock it off already!"

Aidan means to retort something, but Josh suddenly fingers for his pocket to retrieve a tissue hastily. He holds it to his nose, not blowing it, though, eyes wide. Aidan frowns as Josh leans forward, one arm cradled in his lap while he holds on to the tissue on his nose and mouth with the other.

"You okay there? Sneeze got stuck or what?" Aidan grimaces. Josh shakes his head against the fabric, but that is when the vampire already smells blood which soon taints the cloth red.

"Whoa!" Aidan gapes. Josh comes back up again, tenderly removing the cloth to inspect the amount of blood seeping from his nose.

"God, didn't have that since I was five," Josh grunts.

"... uhm... am I supposed to freak now?" Aidan grimaces. He knows that nosebleeds are only rarely life-threatening, but to see his friend bleeding shuts out parts of his rationality.

"Just a nosebleed, Aidan, nothing to worry about," Josh brings out between the gulps for air.

"Well, you are the one losing blood," Aidan argues.

"That's over in a minute," Josh assures him. Aidan fidgets for his own pocket to produce a few more tissues he holds out to Josh, who takes them rather gratefully actually, "Thanks."

Aidan waits rather anxiously until Josh seemingly eases and removes the bloodied tissues from his nose, "Think it stopped."

"What the hell was that?" Aidan grimaces.

"Nosebleed," Josh dead-pans.

"No shit, Sherlock," Aidan huffs. "Are you prone to that?"

Because that is something Josh surely didn't ever mention to him.

"Only when I was very little. As I said, the last time I had a nosebleed out of nothing was when I was five years old," Josh snorts.

"And what were the nosebleeds for _something?"_ Aidan frowns.

"I was a scrawny little weird Jewish kid who liked books. You really think the people loved me for that? I was number one on every bully's hitlist. I got so many hits to the face that I still think my nose would look much different now if it hadn't been punched so often," Josh huffs.

"But no one punched you this time," Aidan grimaces, his worry by no mean subsiding. Though Aidan feels like he got punched, right in the gut.

"Hm, well, I was kinda aggravated and took aspirin this morning, you know, blood thinner and all," Josh argues.

"You took aspirin before without that as a result," Aidan insists.

"I should simply quit the breakfast for the champions," Josh shrugs.

"Might be," Aidan tells him, "But you're sure you don't wanna have that checked out?"

Josh just glares at him, _"Nosebleed,_ Aidan, nothing more."

"But...," Aidan means to say, but Josh doesn't want to continue the discussion, "I need to wash up."

He gets up hastily and heads back inside, searching for one of the bathrooms, leaving Aidan on the bench alone.

His revenge for Mr. Carter and the stress balls will have to wait.

However, that is when his beeper vibrates in his pocket. Aidan lets out a grunt. Emergency. _Great._

So _both_ will have to wait until later.


	3. Hawaiian Spiders & Other Problems

Author's Note: Thanks for sticking around!

I hope you'll like this chapter, too.

*Mini-Spoiler* (don't like don't read): On the medical account I make here on CAT scans – I couldn't find it on the internet if you can work it like that. I just build on Josh being really smart to figure out a way how to. I didn't want to go too much into detail about it. The main point is that he didn't want anyone to know.

Read, review, and hopefully enjoy ;)

* * *

><p>Even monsters are seemingly creatures of habit.<p>

While others are busy going to clubs and making day trips, Sally, Josh and Aidan have yet another movie night. However, the house council has decided against romantic comedies or other romances whatsoever. Instead, they settled with a good old action film.

And so the three friends are in the living room, glancing at the screen. Aidan is sitting in the armchair while Sally sits on the couch cross-legged. Josh sits on the armrest of the couch, arms crossed over his chest in a relaxed manner.

"I would dig being a ghost on Hawaii," Sally blurts out with a grin as the images of a tropical island are flashing over the TV screen.

"How's that?" Aidan frowns.

"Well, coconuts, sunshine, cute divers and swimmers in tight shorts... palm trees, the ocean, the opportunity to pass for some kinda Voodoo ghost, cocktails with those wee umbrellas and glittery stuff in them so that you can hardly drink from it. _A-mazing_. Anything's better than this house," Sally shrugs.

"Hey, you were the one to rent it in the first place," Aidan argues.

"Coz we didn't have the money for Hawaii when we rented it. Otherwise I would've said Aloha to Boston long since! _Aloha_!" Sally huffs. Seriously. If she had the choice between Hawaii and Boston, Boston wouldn't ever win the fight.

"Well, I'd burn alive if I ever went there," Aidan snorts.

"We could bury you in sand all day long," Sally suggests.

"That is so tempting," Aidan rolls his eyes.

"Right? What about you, Josh? Hawaii?" Sally asks hopefully.

"Well, there are no snakes on Hawaii, other than those in the zoo, which is a huge plus to me, but I don't dig seeing one of those... _Theridion grallators_. They gimme goosebumps whenever I have to think of them," Josh shudders.

"The _what_?" Sally makes a face.

"Happy Face Spider. They have markings that look just like a creepy happy face. Saw that on Animal Planet once, awful, really awful," Josh explains.

"Oh, eww!" Sally almost jumps up from her seat.

"Sally, there is no spider, so calm down," Aidan sighs.

"But that's so blegh!" Sally shudders. "You are officially banned from watching those stupid documentaries on Animal Planet late at night, my doggy friend!"

"I watch on TV whatever I want, Sally," Josh scolds her.

"I will just switch off TV," Sally narrows her eyes at him.

"As much as I love you, you can't do that yet. You are still in training, my young Padawan."

"Oh, you just wait until I wield the remote on my own," Sally warns him.

"Well, until that's happened, I do, and that means I watch my show whenever I feel like it," Josh shrugs.

"You're so mean," Sally narrows her eyes. "As are spiders."

"But what do _you_ complain about these?" Aidan makes a face. "No spider can harm you."

"They are still creepy," Sally argues vehemently.

"Even if it's just a not-poisonous one?" Aidan grins.

"All the same!" Sally declares.

"But that makes no sense. Why is it creepy just coz it has eight legs? I mean, the thing is so tiny!" Aidan argues. He never got that phobia. Fine, if it is a poisonous one, you should stay away from it – and then someone gets to scream, but what do people have with all the non-poisonous spiders? But butterflies are pretty? That's... _racist._

"But it's disgusting and has eight legs... and it's disgusting!" Sally makes a face.

"But why?" Aidan insists.

"Hairy long legs and so many eyes and then cobwebs and those weird teeth sticking from the side of the mouth and the way they move, it's just... blegh!" Sally shudders, screwing her eyes shut.

"Didn't think you'd be that sissy about the matter," Aidan shakes his head.

"Oh, on that one I'm a total girl," Sally shrugs, but then whips her head around to look at the vampire with wide eyes. "So you like them?!"

"I don't necessarily hate them," Aidan replies.

"Please tell me you don't want to get that as a pet," Sally cries out.

"I had one, couple of years back," Aidan shrugs. "Tarantulas."

"Oh, eww, sometimes I don't even know you!" Sally shrieks.

"What? They are small and it's not like they can do severe harm, if they are not poisonous. Personally, I think they are kinda cute," Aidan shrugs, hugging his arms.

"God, how could I ever befriend a spider-lover!? I thought vampires are creepy enough, but now they are spider friends on tops! That's just too freaky! No!" Sally shakes her head.

"Seriously? That's the thing that creeps you out?" Aidan grimaces. Really, Sally deals with the supernatural on a daily basis, but she has a nervous breakdown after seeing some spider?

"It creeps out almost anyone!" Sally tells him.

"Josh?" the vampire turns to his roommate, who replies, "As I said, I don't like them. I had that experience once when I woke up and one was crawling over my face... that picture never quite left me."

"Oh, eww, eww, eww!" Sally cries out, tapping her body with her hands as though she was trying to swat off some spiders.

"Hey, Josh, what about Spider Man, then?" Aidan argues.

"Maguire royally screwed it up for me," Josh replies. Aidan nods, "Okay, I give you that."

"Plus, you only see the spider like... once. After that it's just a guy wearing too tight overalls, swinging from building to building so that Tarzan would be proud of him," Josh argues. "And _only_ Tarzan."

"But there's really worse, guys," Aidan insists.

"Sure as hell, doesn't mean I have to like the lesser evil," the werewolf argues, and Aidan is bound to agree, "That's of course true."

Josh smirks, "Then maybe not Hawaii for our aloof entity, huh?"

"I will figure this out. There must be some place without creepy spiders or so," Sally puckers her lips.

"That's only true for some uninhabited parts of Siberia and both poles of Antarctica," Josh shrugs. The roommates generously ignore that Josh even knows this.

"But that's not sunny!" Sally pouts.

"Well, coconut-sunny and spiders go hand in hand. You have to choose," Josh argues.

"Hm, Antarctica sounds kinda tempting," Aidan grins.

"A place with no blood supply? And where the blood would freeze? And you would have to lick blood-sicle, and not suck someone dry. Yeah, sure as hell you'd _love_ it there," Sally huffs.

"Nah, okay that's true of course," Aidan grimaces. Even if the blood-idea doesn't sound like the almost bad.

"Maybe you could feed on ice bears or... penguins," Sally suggests.

"Yeah, _right_. Coz all vampires eat small baby seals and ice bears because we are fang-y," Aidan snorts.

"Ugh, now I have that picture of you nibbling a cute little penguin baby inside my head," Sally makes a face, massaging her temples.

"You brought that on yourself," Josh lectures her.

"_You_ had to mention Antarctica," Sally retorts.

"_You_ asked for a place without spiders, and that is Antarctica. If that makes your mind go wild, then this is hardly my fault," Josh argues. Aidan and Josh crack up laughing. Sally joins, too. Really, the best thing about their project of normal are exactly those moments when they are just a group of friends bantering and bickering, talking about nonsense. That is when it's not even about pretending to be normal, it's because they are – in being as messed-up as they are.

They go on laughing for a while, but suddenly Aidan and Sally grimace at Josh, staring, eyes growing wider with every second passing.

"What?" Josh frowns at them. He didn't make a comment to destroy the moment, or did he? However, Aidan is already at his feet and runs into the kitchen.

"Oh God!" the female ghost stammers.

"What is it?" Josh asks. Why is no one talking to him?!

Josh eyes drift down to see a small puddle of blood forming underneath him. The werewolf tentatively fingers for his face, feeling the warm wet above his lip dribbling down his chin. As he brings his hand in front of his eyes, he sees them covered in crimson.

"Oh okay, uhm... Josh, keep calm, okay?" Sally holds up her hands nervously.

Aidan comes back with a bunch of towels. The vampire quickly drops a few on the ground to cover the bloodstain. Another two he holds against Josh's face. The werewolf grabs the fabric nervously. Aidan makes Josh sit down on the couch fully, taking Josh's spot himself, a steady grip on his friend's neck to offer comfort and support.

"Easy, breathe through your mouth. Easy," Aidan tells him in a calming voice.

"I know what to do. I learned that shit," Josh brings out. He treats patients with nosebleed at least thrice a day. He knows the drill, for goodness' sake.

Aidan fights any urge not to roll his eyes at his friend.

Really, worst patient ever.

And he is not even throwing stress balls.

"Pinch your nose, breathe through your mouth and try to relax," Aidan goes on, unwavering.

"Shut up already," Josh mutters. Aidan pats him on the back gently. He knows that Josh knows what to do, but he also knows how resistant his best friend is – and damn, this helps him calm himself, so Josh will have to deal with it.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Sally demands. One moment they are just fooling around, having a good time, the next Josh is bleeding so much that Sally would like to faint.

"Later," Aidan replies curtly. Sally lets her shoulders drop in defeat. She understands that her freaking out is no help for Josh at that point. Even without a medical degree she knows that he has to keep calm now, or this will never stop. But still, it pains her deep down that she can't help. In a twisted sense, she always envies Aidan that he can help Josh, if only by providing some towels or patting him on the back.

They wait in silence for minutes and minutes.

"Did it stop yet?" she asks tentatively. Josh peels away the layers of fabric, feeling a new gush of blood running down right away. Josh grunts incoherently as he brings the towels back to his face, shaking his head.

"Okay, keep pinching it," Aidan tells him. Josh faintly nods into the fabric. He is pale and his hands are slightly shaking. One can see that even he is freaked by the amount of blood coming out of his body, not that anyone would ever blame him for it.

"Aidan, we should bring him to hospital! That is not normal!" Sally turns to the vampire. If only she could hold a phone, Sally would have already called ambulance, police, everyone.

"It'll stop soon," Josh brings out.

"It didn't stop for the last twenty-five minutes," Sally argues.

"Just a nosebleed," Josh grunts.

"This is definitely more than the last one," Aidan argues, which gets Sally's attention, "What last one are you talking about?"

"He had one like... yesterday, but it was over after two minutes, and not nearly as much," Aidan tells her. Josh nudges him in the side – that is his business after all, but Aidan purposely ignores the gesture.

"And why is no one telling me about this?!" she cries out.

"Because that is still my body and my decision," Josh retorts.

"Josh, you're flooding the ground with blood, this is kinda our problem, too!" Sally huffs.

"I'm sorry for ruining the floor, okay?" Josh grunts, meaning to tear the towels away to say something else, but Aidan pushes the towels back in place, "Josh, keep calm, and the towels to your face. You know as well as me that stressing out will only make it last longer."

Josh nods into the fabric, sucking in a shaky breath.

"If this doesn't stop within the next five minutes, we're going to hospital – and no, you don't get to argue. We are both from the health department, thirty minutes is maximum," Aidan tells him sternly.

"It is just a nosebleed," Josh insists.

Or is it?

"You know as well as me that this might be more than a nosebleed," the vampire huffs.

"What?!" Sally cries out. Now it's not just Josh bleeding out from his nose, but something worse? There is something worse?!

"It is not," Josh argues vehemently.

"Josh, you went to med school. You know this is possible," Aidan shakes his head.

"Possible, but not the case," Josh grunts.

"It could even come from the brain, okay?" Aidan insists. And no, he won't let that go, not again.

"What?!" Sally cries out again, since no one was paying attention to her last time.

"Sally, stop freaking out already," Aidan rolls his eyes. That is not exactly helpful.

"You tell me Josh might have some brain disorder and I'm not supposed to freak at that?!" Sally shrieks.

"I checked for all indicators. Blood test is normal. I don't have haemophilia, I don't have nose cancer and it's not related to the brain," Josh says. Aidan wordlessly pushes the towels back under his nose.

"You _checked_? How?" Sally demands. How would he know?

"... CAT scan," Josh shrugs.

"You had a CAT scan and talked to a doctor without informing either one of us?" Aidan now cries out, too.

"I didn't see a doctor obviously," Josh rolls his eyes.

"Then how did you get the blood tests or the CAT scan?" Aidan demands.

"I did them myself, obviously. For a blood test you just go and give it to them, they check it for you without asking for names. As for CAT scan: I know how to do that. There's a way this thing works autopilot. I just hopped on and ran the scan. Had a look at it, nothing unusual. And before you ask, Sally, I know how to evaluate those scans. There was nothing. This is probably some blood vessel inside my nose on the loose. I'll simply see an ENT 'bout it so he can atrophy it," Josh explains.

"Goodness sake, Josh!" Sally sighs exasperatedly, throwing her hands in the air.

"She's right, you can't just do that, you idiot," the vampire lectures him.

"What? I needed a result, fast, and I wasn't fancying to pay for that. No one realized," Josh argues.

"I'm talking about keeping that from us, you jerk," Aidan grunts. He would like to hit him in the back of the head, but that will have to wait until Josh is better again.

"I didn't think it was a big deal," Josh argues.

"Well, you were clearly mistaken about that," Aidan huffs. This is definitely a bigger deal.

"... it is just a nosebleed... which I think just stopped," Josh argues as he peels the towels away and actually the bleeding finally ceased. He lets out a shaky breath, honestly relieved.

"Okay, so now I'll just clean that up and then...," Josh mutters, but Aidan quickly interrupts him in his rambling, "You stay right where you are or I knock you out for good."

"What?" Josh blinks at him.

"You well heard me. Might be you get around hospital for now, but that doesn't mean we will just take that for nothing. Coz this is not nothing," Aidan tells him.

"Aidan, c'mon," Josh sighs, but Aidan his having none of it,"I won't argue with you about that, Josh."

"And I'm with Aidan, that means you are outnumbered," Sally agrees, nodding frantically to emphasize her will.

"You guys," Josh closes his eyes, shaking his head. Aidan grabs a few blankets and pillows and stuffs them on the other side of the couch, nodding at Josh to scoot down and lie down.

"Seriously?" the younger man snorts.

His friend can't mean that, can he?

"You either do it or I make you, your choice," Aidan tells him sternly. "It's leveled so if there's more blood it won't get stuck in your airways. You know the drill. So now, stop being a lousy patient and lie down."

Josh grunts as he leans against the cushions. He knows that this is a fight he won't win, not with a vampire and a ghost up against him. And his head pounds too much to put up a serious argument. Aidan gets up from his seat and gathers the bloody towels together, "I'll just get rid of these."

The vampire walks into the kitchen to throw them in the trashcan. He doesn't dig cleaning them out – and Josh shouldn't either. Is not like those two bucks will ruin their finances. Aidan makes quick work at filling a bowl with cold water and getting out another set of towels. They really have to buy new ones, he notes. Aidan walks back into the living room where Sally is anxiously sitting on the couch table in front of Josh. The vampire rounds the sofa to kneel in front of his friend, putting the bowl down next to him, "Okay, I think now is time we make you look less like... one of my kind after a blood feast."

He plunges one of the towels into the water.

"I can do that myself," Josh huffs.

"Just shut up for once, Josh," Aidan rolls his eyes. The vampire tentatively brings the cloth down on his friend's face and starts to wash off the dried blood. Josh simply tries to ignore that everyone is mothering him – just as he tries not to blush from embarrassment.

Sally: "So okay, what the hell is going on with you?" Sally asks. Someone owes her some answers, for goodness' sake.

Josh: "I just had this nosebleed yesterday... and now again. As I said, it's probably a blood vessel," Josh tells her.

Sally: "I thought werewolves don't get sick," Sally grimaces.

Josh: "This is not necessarily a sickness, but just a blood vessel, understand?" Josh argues.

Sally: "But the full moon is not far away. You shouldn't be like this," Sally retorts.

Josh: "Sometimes it's a lost cause to reason over such things," Josh sighs.

What does he know why his wolf doesn't prevent that from happening? It's not like Josh really cares for what the wolf does.

"But...," Sally means to argue, but Josh interrupts her, "Sally, you know I love you, but... could we delay this discussion to a later point? I'm really drained right now, quite literally."

"Oh, ugh, yeah, sure," Sally nods, sheepishly looking to the side.

"Thank you," Josh exhales. Aidan plops the towel back into the water, which is now tainted red, "Okay, you look halfway human again, with a bit of wolf, of course, but you know what I mean. It's not like I can wipe that away."

Josh smirks at him faintly, seemingly glad for Aidan to simply be funny now, so that they don't have to talk about the problem on hand in all severity, because he is really exhausted.

"Okay, how about you try to grab some shut-eye, huh?" Aidan suggests.

"Might actually be a good idea," Josh exhales.

"Then you do that," Aidan nods as he claps his friend on the shoulder as he gets back up to gather the bowel in his arms.

"C'mon, Sally," the vampire orders the female ghost, who means to argue, "But..."

"Now," Aidan interrupts her sternly. Sally follows Aidan into the kitchen where he cleans out the bowel with a lot of water, to make the stench reaching his nose finally go away. He can feel his teeth poking against the inner parts of his mouth because this is just too much blood he got to smell. Not to mention how disgusted Aidan is once again that he gets "vampire-turned-on" thanks to his best friend's blood. Sally frowns at Aidan, since he makes no attempt of making conversation, at all. No, once the bowel is clean, the vampire continues to stand over the sink, his hands on either side of the rim, knuckles white. After a few minutes, his features ease, though. He turns to face her, indicating that he's ready to talk now.

"He's sleeping now," he says. Aidan wanted to be sure that Josh is out of it before they start to talk about the matter. Close around the moon, he has the ears of a bat.

"How'd you tell?" Sally makes a face, to which Aidan rolls his eyes, "Vampire, remember? I can hear his heartbeat evening out – and his snoring. Though I give him credit that his nose is probably shut."

"... so... what the hell?!" Sally questions.

"Yeah, same thought I had," Aidan sighs, hugging his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me about the other day?" Sally questions, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I didn't think it was that much of a big deal. I see people with nosebleeds every single day. I mean, I told myself to have a close eye on Josh, but that I needn't fuss over the matter. I know that only makes things for worse," Aidan argues. And he really had an eye on his roommate. Josh was fine throughout the day. He was a bit tight and maybe a bit pale around the nose, but nothing that made Aidan's alarm shrill in his ears... well, that was until Josh decided to drench the floor in his own blood of course.

"But this is now fully grown fuss-material for good," Sally argues.

"Yep, I'm... ugh, freaked, so to speak. This was almost 28 minutes. That is not normal, even with some funny blood vessel he thinks is causing it. This is like chronic nosebleed – and as far as I'm concerned, he's not prone to that. He said he had that only till he was five, but then it stopped, so really. This is getting me concerned," Aidan grimaces.

"He seemed pretty exhausted, too," Sally nods.

"Yep," Aidan agrees.

"And he was spacing out, I mean... more than he usually does. He always spaces out on us," Sally rolls her eyes. Sometimes she honestly wonders how he does that. Sally herself already likes to go with her mind some other place at times, but the werewolf puts a new edge to it.

She can still remember one time he was eating dinner alone because Aidan was on shift and Sally talked to him for about an hour. At some point, the werewolf just turned his head and asked her what she just said. Apparently, her roommate had been musing about a new medical report he read three days ago.

"Yep again," Aidan nods.

"Do you think we should bring him to a doctor or something?" Sally grimaces.

"I don't think he'd let us," Aidan shrugs.

"You're stronger than him. You just overpower him," Sally gestures. "I won't even make any cavemen-jokes, I swear."

"Hey, if this is happening again, sure as hell I drag him to the hospital by his feet if it has to be, but only if it has to be," Aidan tells her.

"Then why not now?" Sally insists. That much blood on the ground makes it a case of "if it has to be" already.

"Because I think he was earnest with the tests he ran. If they turn up with nothing, then bringing him to a doctor won't solve the problem, at all. It will only make matters for worse, even, because we always have to keep in mind that Josh is not exactly human. Perhaps this is a wolf-thing after all," Aidan argues. "And we shouldn't risk it for him to be uncovered."

"So what do we do?" Sally questions.

"We ground him," Aidan shrugs.

"He'll hate us for that," Sally grins.

"That never really stopped me," Aidan smirks.

"Good," Sally nods. "And if nothing else helps, we can make him go on a health resort on Hawaii."

They seemingly have a new mission – make sure Josh finally gets better.

Even if that means playing nurses for a pouting werewolf.

Because that's what friends are for, right?


End file.
